Just a decade ago, video was off limits for most businesses.  Connecting with customers required placing ads on television, and that required writing big checks.  No small business could afford to use so much of its budget on producing, never mind buying all those ad slots.  But YouTube changed the game.  And now businesses of all sizes can utilize video as a point of entry for customers. 

In today's New York Times business section, Kermit Pattison writes about the opportunities that online video provides:

Online video is becoming a first stop for many customers. It is akin to what the Web page was a decade ago — something that can give early adopters an edge over competitors. It gives them a channel to talk directly to customers in ways previously accessible only to large companies that could afford TV advertisements.

And Pattison provides a useful guide for small business owners. And here are six action items Pattison suggests:

Show your products,

Create a destination,

Use analytics and tools,

Build a brand channel,

Advertise with video, and

Offer instruction.

Read detailed descriptions of each of these action items in Pattison's article, here.